Outside My Window:  The sun is finally shining, there is a light breeze blowing and the humidity is finally gone.  It is a lovely evening

I Am Thinking:  I am thankful that my family is healthy and safe.  Later I will be going to the airport to pick up PG OBrien to spend his leave time here with us on the farm.

I Am Thankful For:  Blue skies, cool breezes, family, health, all the blessings that God has bestowed on all of us.  More than any of us could imagine or hope for.

From The Kitchen:  Chicken salad on a bed of greens with potato salad and macaroni left from yesterday's picnic. 

I'm Creating:  Invitations and announcments for Mary-Kates graduation and graduation party.

I'm Going: To the airport to pick up my son.

I'm Wearing:  Comfy pj pants and a tee shirt.

I'm Reading:  Finishing up Shattered Faith by Sheila Kennedy and starting Passion and Purity

I'm Hoping:  To finish the cleaning in the garage and the basement tomorrow so I can call the dumpster people so they can come and pick it up.

I'm Hearing:  My family watching The Music Man on TV

Around The House:  All is clean and in order (for a change) because MK, Matthew and I finished up the cleaning today.  Finally!!!!!

One Of My Favorite Things:  The thought that all of the clutter is gone and that there is order and cleanliness in this house finally.

A Few Plans For The Rest of The Week:  Enjoy my son being home, cook some of his favorite meals, sewing, paperwork, finish the yardwork (am I planning too much?)

Here's a picture thought I'm sharing with you:

My all time favorite picture of my sons.  This was taken on my two oldest son's graduation day.  This was the last time that they would serve on the altar.  This would be the only time that the four oldest would serve Mass together.  I cried that morning to see them serving Our Lord together for the last time. 

Happy Father's Day to my beloved.  Every year he reminds me that he celebrated Father's Day before I celebrated Mother's Day.  I got pregnant on our honeymoon so therefore he celebrated Father's Day the year that we were married while I had to wait until the next year to be able to celebrate Mother's Day.

Anyway, this year we packed up a picnic lunch and drove up north.  We stopped in Taberg to try to collect a debt that is owed to us first then set out for Whetstone Gulf State Park.  Everyone enjoyed their picnic lunch.

Some at the picnic table and other's took their's down to the river and partook of the goodies while standing in the water.  It was a nice warm day and the water was surprisingly warm also.

I had to take this picture while standing in the river.  It is really quite shallow where we were. 

Doug looks like he is having a good time.  He puts up with all of my picture taking.

Then we took a hike along the top of the gorge.  The bio said that the gorge is some three miles long and 350 feet deep with a 50 foot high waterfall. 

The gorge trail gives you glimpses of all of this and more.  There are shear cliffs that make your heart pound just looking at them.  We walked the whole way around the gorge and Doug estimated that the hike was about 8 miles.  Everyone was tired after that, even the Patriarch.  While we were on the hike the family was able to check in and wish him a happy father's day.

Next Sunday after PG OBrien is home for a few days and well rested we will make our annual trek up to the Adirondacks to climb Bald Mountain and picnic and kayack at Nick's Lake.  Maybe we can even get Ian to take a day off to go with us.  Here's to hoping.

Today we finished cleaning the upstairs.  What an exhausting, rewarding experience.  The people at the Oneida Area Daycare Center simply love seeing my SUV pulling up in front of their building.  I have already brought them two big loads of stuff and I have another load to take on Monday.  The next goal is to do the dining room, livingroom, and kitchen on Monday.  They shouldn't take very long since they don't any of them have closets in them.  We can just pull out furniture and vacuum and dust and clean out drawers.  There are only three cupboards in the kitchen.  The music room is going to be the challenge.  There is a very large set of shelves in there that are piled high with fabric and sewing supplies.  that is all going to need sorting.  Tuesday we will do the washroom and the laundry room.  Then the men will help with the garage and shed and then we will be done.  It even looks like we are going to get our sewing room back. 

Watch out, PG OBrien, one of the jobs that you will be doing when you are home is building a wall.  Matthew needs help building a wall going into the boys room.  We know that you have a lot of experience building so you will be good at it and you can instruct him in the fine art of building.  I promise not to take too many pictures while you are at it.  MK also wants you to shovel out the cow pen in the barn across the road.  It has a pack in it about 18" thick.  I wanted to put Claudius in there to start things but he is busy with his lady friends so he hasn't had time.  

So much to do around here.  Ian mowed most of the lawns for me today.  All I have left to do is around the pool.  (that is too fussy for him so I will do it)  The garden has to be rototilled also because the weeds are starting to come up in it.  The scrap man is going to bring that dumpster this week so we can start cleaning up the steal from the barn pile.  Lots to do and not enough time.  I'll be sure to keep everyone who works well nourished though.  

Looking forward to my soldier coming home.  48 more hours and he will be here. (God willing)

Well, the attic is done and 1/2 the spare room is finished.  I can't believe the clutter and accumulation.  But I suppose after 25 years and 6 children there would be a lot of accumulation.  The attic is so clean that we can easily get to anything that we want without a big production.  The spare room is half empty because we moved the day-bed into the boys room so that they can have enough sleeping space.  Mary-Kate and I are thinking that we may be getting our sewing room back. 

We took out one large load of baby "stuff" today also.  It was bittersweet to give away some of my baby equipment.  But I know that the lady that I gave it to will find good homes for everything.  Two bags of baby clothes will go to a crisis pregnancy center near here next week.  Tomorrow morning we are dropping about 5 boxes of stuff to the local daycare center.  When I called them they were so excited to get donations of any kind that I think they will fall on us and hug us tomorrow. 

Mary-Kate and I sat together and sorted through three boxes of baby clothes.  That was a tough one too.  But there is enough of everything left for grandchildren? (if I get some) 

Tomorrow we will finish the spareroom and get the deck and upper attic done.  MK is going to sort games and toys so that we can take them to mission on Tuesday.  Then it will be time to tackle the downstairs.  Not as bad a job.  The last thing we will do is the garage.  That one is going to involve the whole family because there is more in there than even I can tackle.

Time for rest and to get fortified for the next round.  This feels so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

empress8411  asked "What's a shortcake and how do you make it?"  I honestly thought that everyone knew what strawberry shortcake was.  I don't eat it myself (allergic to strawberries) but I have made literally hundreds of them in my life.  That is a favorite of my father and my husband.  My daughter has been known to eat herself silly when strawberries are in season. 

So here goes:  Strawberry Shortcake

6 c. fresh strawberries, sliced  (more if you have people like my daughter around)

1/4 c sugar

2 c all purpose flour

2 tbl sugar

1 tbl baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c butter or margarine

1 beaten egg

2/3 c milk

1 c whipping cream

2 tbl sugar                                  Oven 450

Stir together strawberries and 1/4 c sugar; set aside.  For shortcake, thorougly stir together flour, 2 tbl sugar, baking powder, and salt.  cut in the 1/2 c butter or margarine till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Combine beaten egg and milk; add all at once to dry ingredients and stir just to moisten.  Spread in a greased 8 x 1 1/2-inch round baking pan, building up edges slightly.  Bake in a 450 oven for 15-18 minutes.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cut into serving size pieces.  Spoon berries on top of shortcake.  Top with whipped cream

Whipped Cream

whip cream with 2 tbl sugar just to soft peaks.  (Watch carefully so that it doesn't go too far and turn into butter)

Now when I make my Raspberry Hazelnut Trifle I usually make two.  One to serve and one to give away.  After you taste how rich it is you may want to do the same. 

Mix 3 boxes instant vanilla pudding mix with 3 c Hazelnut coffee creamer and 3 c cold milk.  Beat with a balloon whisk and refrigerate until the cake is done and cool.

You also need to buy 3-4 cans of Raspberry pie filling.  I use more because we like a lot of raspberries but you may use less if you don't.  You also need 1/2 pint fresh raspberries for the top.

Raspberry Pound Cake

3 c all-purpose flour     2 c sugar       3 tsp baking powder          1/2 tsp salt       2 c (4 sticks) butter (leave butter on the counter to bring it up to room temp.  This is an important step)

1/2 c milk        1 tsp vanilla      1 tsp raspberry extract          6 eggs ( the eggs have to be at room temperature also)

combine dry ingredients in mixer bowl.  Add butter, milk, vanilla, and raspberry extract.  Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer.  Turn to slow speed and mix about 1 minute.  Stop and scrape bowl.  Turn to med-high and beat about 2 minutes.  Stop and scrape bowl.  Turn down to low speed and add aggs, one at a time, mixing after each one.  Turn to med speed and mix about 1 minute more.

Pour batter into VERY WELL GREASED 10-inch tube pan.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes and turn out onto a plate.

When cake is completely cool crumble up and layer cake, pudding and raspberry pie filling in a trifle dish.  (a clear glass bowl with straight sides)  When you get to the top layer I leave the raspberry filling only in the center instead of spreading it out to the sides.  Then I sprinkle on the fresh berries.  Refrigerate for about 1 hr. so that everything can get cold again.  Serve. 

I hope that this answers what a shortcake is and I hope if you try these you will enjoy them.  I know that PG OBrien will when he gets home.

An end to the first day of marathon cleaning.  We took 10 boxes of books out of here and took them to In Mission Of The Christ Child.  They will be distributed to people who are less fortunate than we are.  (we know the lady that runs the mission very well)  That in itself was a very difficult job.  I am the book buyer and collector in this house and it was very difficult to give away any of my books.  It was also very revealing to see just how many books that there were.

The boys room is now clean but not finished yet because we have to be able to get to the doorway to the attic to clean that out tomorrow.  When we are done with the attic then we can put everything in the boys room into place and be done with that room.  You can see Matthew sacked out on the top bunk.  He worked very, very hard today and he was exhausted.  He even helped to carry the fish tank up the stairs. 

My room is done.  I mopped the floor the last thing and it is done and lovely.  The stove pipe is coming out but I have to first find caps for the holes in the floor and ceiling.  Just thinking about two rooms that are clean helps me overlook the mess that we made in the spare room in an effort to clean the others and in the livingroom.  (the large bookcase that you see in the boys room was full and downstairs in the livingroom before) 

Tomorrow the pace must continue.  We have to do the attic and the spare room all in one day.  They are the worst in the house so after that it will be all down hill. (I hope!!!!!!)  Time to rest and get refreshed for round two. 

I missed my entry on Monday.  (can't remember what made me so busy on Monday) 

Outside My Window:  The eastern sky is just starting to lighten.  It is going to be a glorious sunrise.  The heat has finally broken for awhile at least.

I'm Thinking:  Today the garbage men are bringing the big dumpster and so begins a week of cleaning this place from top to bottom, literally.  My motto today is "be brutal"  we don't need all this clutter and we no longer need to be saving things for "someday"

I'm Thankful For:  The news that my sister-in-laws cancerous tumor seems to be easily taken care of. (if easy is the word for it)  The prognosis is good.  For the fact that Papa Buehner is getting sprung from the extended care tomorrow and can go home. 

From The Kitchen:  Four quarts of strawberries are calling to be made into pies and shortcake.  That is something else to do today.  I think that my hardworking husband would enjoy a sweet treat when he gets home from work tonight.

I'm Creating:  I hope a peaceful and inviting home for my husband and children.  Quarterly reports that need finishing, IHIPS that need to be written.   A long to do list.

I'm Going:  To Mass first this morning so that I will have the Lord before me in all that I do today.  This should help keep the cleaning stress down to a minimum.

I'm Wearing:  My pajamas.  It's too early to go up and turn on lights and disturb the sleeping masses.  Let my husband sleep as long as he can.  He works awfully hard.

I'm Reading:  Still working on Shattered Faith by Sheila Kennedy.  Just started CS Lewis and the Catholic Church by Joseph Pierce

I'm Hoping:  To get the bulk of the cleaning done before PG OBrien gets home on Monday.  I would like to spend some time making some of his favorite things.  like bread, and Creme de Menthe cake and maybe a raspberry hazlenut trifle. 

I'm Hearing:  The sweet sound of a slumbering house.  With the cool down even the fans are off and it is a lovely thing to not hear anything.

Around the House:  All is peaceful and quiet and tidy.  Mary-Kate and Matthew cleaned up very well last night before going to bed.  I love facing the day when there is no cleaning up leftover from yesterday. 

One of My Favorite Things:  Knowing that all are content.  Knowing that my son is coming home.  Being able to get up before everyone else and say my prayers and putter in peace before the day really starts. (doesn't always happen though)

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week:  Clean, Clean, Clean.  As the house gets more and more orderly I will feel as if I have truly accomplished something.  (I will also feel that the money spent is worth it, right now I am concerned  about that) 

Here is a picture thought that I am sharing with you:

Lovely view from beside the dam at Letchworth State Park.  I took this last week on our anniversary trip.  Beautiful memories of my honeymoon and of our 25 anniversary trip.  People are stirring so it's time to start the day.

Fifteen years ago our dear little Rebekah was born on 10 June 1993.  Yesterday was her birthday.  It is not important to God and it is no longer important to her mother who remembers that she was even born but the important ones remembered her yesterday, her father and I and her brothers and sister. 

Dear little saint of our family please continue to pray for all of us and to hold us before the throne of God.  Beg his mercy on us and ask him to shower his choicest blessings down on your family.  Love mom

I miss you dear little girl.

Last night my daughter's dog Moses was struck and killed by a car on our road.  This is not about drivers going too fast, that was not what happened.  This is not about the carelessness of the human race.  The young man stopped when he realized what he had done and he was nearly as heartbroken as my daughter.  (Ian knows him and says he is a good kid)  I don't even question God about why she has had to suffer so much in her young life or in the last year.  This is about what goes on in the heart of a mother as she watches her daughter move through this kind of suffering. 

My daughter is a tender and loving woman.  She gives and gives until there is often nothing left to give.  She helps all who come across her path without thought to what it will cost her, animal or human, just because that is what she is called to do.  And she will do it again.  Today in the middle of her grief there was no thought or word of never giving her heart again.  No obvious thought to never having another pet.  She wondered what it would cost to get a sign to make motorists slow down before the bridge on our road where two of our dogs have now perished in the last year.  She knows that she will have other pets and she knows that she will give her heart again.  She knows that she will weather this storm as she has all those before.  Her plan is to help the next possibly not happen or to be a little better next time. 

Oh, my precious daughter how I love you and envy your giving nature.  God bless you and keep you.  MOM

Well the cat is out of the bag finally.  My husband who has missed anniversaries and birthdays consistantly for most of our married life has made up for it big time.  There have been secrets for about two weeks now and today it is all being revealed.  We got up and took MK to school then we went to Mass and some friends took Matthew for the day and now we are off to visit Letchworth State Park.  It is the place where we camped on our honeymoon twenty-five years ago.  It is one of the most beautiful places in New York State.  I had thought that I would not be able to go there again.  (my world is a very small place being a farmers wife you don't get to go far)  But today that dream is coming true.  Now I could have gone with the kids or by myself but it would not be the same without the man who went there with me in the first place.  So this is going to be a great adventure.  More to come.